YOUTH TODAY, LEADERS TOMORROW
The Roybal Foundation’s Youth INITIATIVE is a collaborative project that brings together public policy leaders, schools, law enforcement professionals and most importantly the voices of our youth.
The Youth Initiative creates safe spaces for open dialogue, thus creating an organic community where the voices of our youth are heard, valued, and engaged, in meaningful discourse and interaction.
Congressman Edward R. Roybal co-founded the Community Service Organization (CSO) along with Antonio Rios, and Fred Ross, Sr. in 1947 due to lack of educational opportunities and political voice in the community.
The CSO’s priority was civic engagement through voting in ethical and committed candidates in minority areas. Edward Roybal was elected to the Los Angeles City Council in 1949 because of the CSO’s work. He was the first Latino to serve on the Los Angeles City Council. The CSO trained leaders like Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta to unite people to have a voice and change their community.
Today more than ever, the goals of the CSO model to empower a new generation of ethical and prepared leaders is crucial in having a voice to make change happen.